Quantifying optical loss of high-voltage degradation modes in photovoltaic modules using spectral analysis

Miller, David C.; Hurst, Katherine E.; Sinha, Archana; Qian, Jiadong; Moffitt, Stephanie L.; Uličná, Soňa; Schelhas, Laura T.; Hacke, Peter

doi:10.1002/pip.3690

Quantifying optical loss of high-voltage degradation modes in photovoltaic modules using spectral analysis

Journal Article · Fri Mar 24 00:00:00 EDT 2023 · Progress in Photovoltaics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.3690· OSTI ID:1969544

^[1]; ^[1]; ^[2]; Qian, Jiadong ^[1]; Moffitt, Stephanie L. ^[2]; Uličná, Soňa ^[2]; ^[1]; ^[1]

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States). National Center for Photovoltaics
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States)

The direct current bias for photovoltaic (PV) modules interconnected in series-strings may include both high voltage negative (“HV-”) and positive (“HV+”) polarity with respect to the electrical ground. Multiple degradation modes, resulting in quantifiable optical loss, were found to occur during HV-/HV+ sequential stress, including corrosion of the external glass surface, encapsulant delamination (at its interfaces with the glass and the PV cell), internal haze formation (resulting from a chemical interaction between the glass and the encapsulant), corrosion and migration of the gridlines, and corrosion of the silicon nitride (Si_xN_y) antireflective coating on the cell. The effects of these separate modes were examined using monolithic (e.g., glass or PV cell) and laminated-coupon (glass/encapsulant/glass or glass/encapsulant/cell/encapsulant/backsheet) specimens. Characterizations during and after unbiased accelerated testing at 85°C/85% relative humidity included spectrophotometry, optical microscopy, electron microscopy, and ellipsometry. For some module components (i.e., the glass and the Si_xN_y coating), the optical performance was determined through iterative analysis of empirical measurements. Concentrating on just their spectral effect, a novel model was then developed to estimate the transfer of light to the PV cell and the return of light from the PV module with simultaneous degradation mechanisms, which was compared with a mini-module previously subjected to HV-/HV+ stress. Here the model suggests that one third of the current loss observed for the mini-module can be attributed to the optical degradation of the packaging materials. The dominant degradation modes include encapsulant delamination and corrosion of the Si_xN_y coating. Recommendations are given so that the optical model may be improved relative to accelerated testing and validated relative to field aging.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-76SF00515; AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1969544

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1963304

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA--5K00-85905; MainId:86678; UUID:ea8599d1-9de8-4447-9c18-a983ec2319a6; MainAdminID:69285

Journal Information:: Progress in Photovoltaics, Journal Name: Progress in Photovoltaics Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 31; ISSN 1062-7995

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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